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Evaluation Results from Workshop 2 on the 15th of Oct 2011
Canberra City Farm Workshop 2 on 15 Oct 2011 Evaluation Survey results ' ' 3. What words or phrases of the discussion resonated with you? What mental snapshots are you taking away? * sustainable,inclusive,diverse, accesible,rhizomes,vision,holistic,building sustainable communities,organic and permaculture principles * Making it realistic/achievable in the short term with a bigger long term vision. We need to keep it real. * Valuing members knowledge, skill and experience. Getting focussed and clearer * Growing food it the starting point of it all. * Overall the positive nature of the group and the positive manner in which ideas are couched. * Food production * I don't have specific quotes but I was really impressed with the results of the research undertaken. I think there was some great progress made on defining the vision and the creativity on the name for our project was both intuitive and fun. * rhizome, growing enterprise * Organic Community Garden * Words: constructiveness, concreteness, positivity, principles. Mental snapshots: of planning led by vision. * There is a level of trust, community and collaboration. * Canberra as a biological city Food learning and sharing centre Piallago as the first food bowl of Canberra The importance of poetry and creative expression * practical outcomes, clarity of purpose 4. What made you hopeful or excited? * enthusiasm of participants, sharing of knowledge, being among a great bunch of people. * The huge amount of experience of the people present in various areas such as site assessment, planning sustainability education etc * the above. The formation of groups. The high quality of participants. * Capable people getting things done. * that the good will generated in the first meeting is now being directed towards the practical steps required to bring the dream into reality. * Continued involvement of COGS and serious players from See Change and other groups * I'm really excited about the collective expertise in the group and the passion for the project - very inspiring and I believe there is much knowledge that can be shared to make the project happen. It is a great example of what we can achieve as a community. * not emotions I normally feel * That work has already begun. * The wisdom that is emerging from the group. * That everyone reached a similar point together - needing a purpose or vision. We are all on a similar page. * The respect people showed to each other * People asked about the purpose, wanted the outcomes to be sharper, starting to get past the enjoyable but still generalised discussion 5. What frustrated you about the workshop or concerns you about going forward? * time constraints and running out of steam of project * Lack of an agreed vision or name * Failure to arrive at a name or end vision for the 'farm' * No frustrations or concerns. * Apparent disengagement from the practical goal of a FARM and overemphasis on the latte end of the spectrum, the so-called sustainability hub, which is potentially just a gathering together of left and green interest groups somewhere better served by public transport to promote their wares and grab a fairtrade organic coffee (which of course I'd like too but not to the extent that I'd give a lot of time to it) * I was not frustrated at all but I think we do need to bed down what is probable rather than what is possible in order to move forward. The site team's mapping of available sites is the critical starting point to formulate what is achievable and begin the process of assessing regulations to meet the ACT Governments requirements to win their support for our project if we are going down that track. * nothing * People adding unnecessary comments to the discussion especially when they interrupted the person talking to do so. * Only phrases like "going forward". :-) * Whether we can maintain momentum. * Will it be a sustainability demonstration centre or a working farm or both? How will it make money and pay for itself? * Few appear to be willing to really make it happen, even though there are many with great energy, skills around associated wonderful aspects of the overall project 6. What surprised you most about this workshop? * professional facilitation of workshop * The creativity of participants * The good chairing of the meeting. The skills and experience of members. * That the farmers present were given so little air time and were made to feel marginal * I was really surprised or rather reminded of the wealth of knowledge in the community that can be utilised for such a project as this. I am really impressed by the facilitation to keep us on track and those realists in the group that help to keep us focused on the practicalities of getting this project up and running - the finance and regulations focused members. * that some people think this will happen over night, like anything it takes time and if you get things right now, the rest will flow better. * There were so many people. * Its efficiency. * How willing, open and considerate everyone was, and how much work everyone had progressed with between workshops. * The number of people who continue to turn up * Not overly surprised 7. What is the most significant thing you heard during the workshop? What aspect of what you said or heard is the most vital? * defining our vision and mission statements and our constitution so we can move to the planning and approval phase of selecting a suitable site. * The need for the project to be of relevance/interest to those in the community beyond those already converted/committed to sustainability. * Grow food. * The idea that in order to influence change, the farm should seek to welcome those whose behaviours might most warrant changing - rather than being exclusively for those who already have similar interests and sensibilities. * That land in Pialligo is being offered by a willing farmer * The discussion on bedding down the vision and the site team's commitment to provide us with the options next time we meet. * still rhizome - (there is an interesting set of skills and knowledge. I am more focussed on physical work and will be able to contribute at this level. * The priority of vision or purpose over other aspects of planning. * That we need to work out exactly what we need before sorting the finance and governance and this holds up everything else. * Canberra as a biological city * Beginning to get our heads about what this project really is. 8. What question do you think is most important to be explored at our next meeting in Nov 2011? * To come up with a suitable name, our vision and mission statements and constitution. Everything else follows on from that. * What is the core objective we wish to achieve in the initial establishment phase to ensure it will be sustainable longer term? * Firming up what we hope to achieve, ie, the end vision of 'the farm' so that planning can proceed from that. * Further progress on all fronts. * Nailing down the goal of the city farm and clearly identifying crucial steps in a plan of action. * Why people think this needs to be different from what we have already (The Environment Centre) and why we're talking about a city FARM and not just coping CERES (which is not a city farm as I define it) * As above, the options for the site which is essentially the seed of this project in my view. * not really sure - I'm interested in watching how this pans out. * Where will the funding come from. * The implications of inclusiveness, a concept that does not necessarily demand tolerance of everybody's practices but perhaps instead demands sensitivity to everybody's principles. * Have we adequately captured the purpose/vision and if so, what finance/governance structure do we need? * How will it make money and pay for itself? * What committments are on the table to make it a real enterprise 10. Any other comments? * Loved the snail poem, idea of rhizomes and arts demos. * Thanks. * Thanks to the people who are chugging along with this and sorry to sound so cynical * I'm inspired and very happy to be involved with such a great group of people working towards a really worthwhile and important project. I'll do what I can and I'm amazed at the wonderful expertise and commitment of the group. I also reconnected with a friend from primary school who I haven't seen since then - how great is that!! * It's been nice to eat together and have a chance to meet and chat in a disorganised fashion. * Great facilitation and organising yet again. Well done! * Thank you for keeping this going * My comments above are not negative just a reality check from my perspective